Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Douglas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Douglas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,524 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $3,870 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $5,215 in Douglas.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 59% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Douglas is 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$30.22 IMP 22.39

-80.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$107 IMP 79.0

-69.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.62 IMP 7.13

-25.16%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$5.27 IMP 3.91

-67.74%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.71 IMP 2.01

-59.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.92 IMP 1.42

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$6.86 IMP 5.08

-75.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$6.05 IMP 4.48

-48.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.02 IMP 1.50

-47.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.94 IMP 1.43

-35.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.95 IMP 1.44

-28.72%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.38 IMP 3.25

-48.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.59 IMP 4.88

-34.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$8.10 IMP 6.01

-27.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.59 IMP 8.59

-23.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.43 IMP 1.80

-7.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.77 IMP 1.31

-38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.56 IMP 1.90

-40.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.84 IMP 2.10

-51.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.35 IMP 1.74

-51.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.59 IMP 1.92

-56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.66 IMP 1.23

-48.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$2.04 IMP 1.51

-55.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$22.74 IMP 16.85

-89.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.35 IMP 9.15

-9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$4.11 IMP 3.04

-71.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.81 IMP 2.82

-37.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$3.02 IMP 2.24

-73.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$76.9 IMP 57.0

-46.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$5.15 IMP 3.82

-72.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.47 IMP 1.09

29.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$82.8 IMP 61.3

-90.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.25 IMP 1.66

-58.22%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$35.2K IMP 26.0K

-49.02%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$35.0K IMP 26.0K

-23.51%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$305 IMP 226

-72.48%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$37.92 IMP 28.10

-74.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$71.4 IMP 52.9

-66.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$63.1 IMP 46.73

-58.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$20.32 IMP 15.06

-6.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$13.69 IMP 10.15

-71.37%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$306 COP 1.1M

$1,325 IMP 982

-76.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$32.2K IMP 23.9K

-81.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$97.0 IMP 71.9

-40.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$42.24 IMP 31.30

-24.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$123 IMP 91.1

-18.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$76.8 IMP 56.9

39.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,202 IMP 891

-59.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,086 IMP 805

-66.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,131 IMP 1,579

-61.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,933 IMP 1,433

-62.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$4,151 IMP 3,076

-29.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$3,219 IMP 2,385

-56.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$3,263 IMP 2,418

-83.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.66

266.94%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Douglas: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $1,202 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 498% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $107 in Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $303 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Douglas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Douglas earns 498% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $1,202 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $2,524 in Douglas – a 144% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 87% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,524 in Douglas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Douglas. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Douglas, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Douglas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.